"There is no nation, however great, that has its gods as close to it as our God is close to us." The Church sings this verse in the Office of the Blessed Sacrament.
When the pagans heard of God's works of love for us, they said, "O what a good God is this God of the Christians!" The pagans made for themselves gods that suited their fancies. But the history of the nations of the world shows us clearly that among their fables, and among all their gods, none of them ever thought of a god that loved men as much as our true God loves us.
For God has worked a mighty prodigy of love by which He remains hidden on our altars. Here with us He lives, a companion who never leaves us night or day. It would seem that He did not want to be absent from us even for a moment and all this to show His love for those who adore Him, and to bestow on them His precious graces. "He has made a memorial of His wonderful works." (Ps. 110).
My most sweet Jesus, you have worked the most mighty of all miracles to satisfy this intense longing of yours to stay with us and to be at our side always. How then can it be that men will fly from your presence? How can they live away from you for so long a time? Or come to visit you so very seldom? How can they grow so weary when they spend a quarter of an hour with you that they seem to think it is an age? How long-suffering, my Jesus, is your patience! Yes, I quite understand, my Master: your patience is great indeed, because your love for men is great indeed. It is this, and this alone, that makes you dwell, ever and always, among those who are so ungrateful.
All your perfections, my God, are boundless so your love is boundless too. In the past I have numbered myself among those ungrateful ones but in the future O never let it happen any more. Give me a love that will try to correspond to what you deserve, and to my own duties to you. There was indeed a time when I too grew weary in your presence; it was because I did not love you, or because my love for you was altogether too little. But if you will only give me the grace to love you with a really great love, then never again will I grow weary though I spend whole nights and days at your feet in the Most Holy Sacrament.
Eternal Father, to you I offer your own Son, Jesus. Accept Him from me, and for the sake of His merits give me such a burning and tender love for the Blessed Sacrament that, wherever I may be, I may turn in spirit to the church where Jesus dwells; filled with the thought of His love; filled with the yearning for the time to come once more when I can rest in His presence.
Aspiration―My God, for the sake of Jesus, give me a love that is really great for the Most Blessed Sacrament.
In the Sacred Canticles the Holy Spirit speaks of the Tower of David in these words, "It is built with bulwarks. A thousand shields hang from its walls―the complete armour of the strong." Mary is the Tower of David. It is built with mighty strength; its powerful defences are beyond number; so are the arms and the supplies it affords to all who seek protection within.
Most holy Mary, St. Ignatius the Martyr tells me that you are a "most powerful fortress for all those engaged in war"―a bastion of mighty strength for all those who are fighting in the battle. I am facing the assaults of my enemies; their attacks never cease; they are trying to wrest from me the grace of God and to deprive me of your protection, O My dearest Lady. But you are my fortress. You do not think it unworthy of you to come to the help of those who trust you in the combat. St. Ephrem tells me that you are "she who battles for those who trust in her." Do battle for me then and defend me for in you I put all my hope, all my trust.
Aspiration―Mary, Mary, your name is my defense.
Prayer After Each Visit
When the pagans heard of God's works of love for us, they said, "O what a good God is this God of the Christians!" The pagans made for themselves gods that suited their fancies. But the history of the nations of the world shows us clearly that among their fables, and among all their gods, none of them ever thought of a god that loved men as much as our true God loves us.
For God has worked a mighty prodigy of love by which He remains hidden on our altars. Here with us He lives, a companion who never leaves us night or day. It would seem that He did not want to be absent from us even for a moment and all this to show His love for those who adore Him, and to bestow on them His precious graces. "He has made a memorial of His wonderful works." (Ps. 110).
My most sweet Jesus, you have worked the most mighty of all miracles to satisfy this intense longing of yours to stay with us and to be at our side always. How then can it be that men will fly from your presence? How can they live away from you for so long a time? Or come to visit you so very seldom? How can they grow so weary when they spend a quarter of an hour with you that they seem to think it is an age? How long-suffering, my Jesus, is your patience! Yes, I quite understand, my Master: your patience is great indeed, because your love for men is great indeed. It is this, and this alone, that makes you dwell, ever and always, among those who are so ungrateful.
All your perfections, my God, are boundless so your love is boundless too. In the past I have numbered myself among those ungrateful ones but in the future O never let it happen any more. Give me a love that will try to correspond to what you deserve, and to my own duties to you. There was indeed a time when I too grew weary in your presence; it was because I did not love you, or because my love for you was altogether too little. But if you will only give me the grace to love you with a really great love, then never again will I grow weary though I spend whole nights and days at your feet in the Most Holy Sacrament.
Eternal Father, to you I offer your own Son, Jesus. Accept Him from me, and for the sake of His merits give me such a burning and tender love for the Blessed Sacrament that, wherever I may be, I may turn in spirit to the church where Jesus dwells; filled with the thought of His love; filled with the yearning for the time to come once more when I can rest in His presence.
Aspiration―My God, for the sake of Jesus, give me a love that is really great for the Most Blessed Sacrament.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.
A VISIT TO MARY
THE TOWER OF DAVID
In the Sacred Canticles the Holy Spirit speaks of the Tower of David in these words, "It is built with bulwarks. A thousand shields hang from its walls―the complete armour of the strong." Mary is the Tower of David. It is built with mighty strength; its powerful defences are beyond number; so are the arms and the supplies it affords to all who seek protection within.
Most holy Mary, St. Ignatius the Martyr tells me that you are a "most powerful fortress for all those engaged in war"―a bastion of mighty strength for all those who are fighting in the battle. I am facing the assaults of my enemies; their attacks never cease; they are trying to wrest from me the grace of God and to deprive me of your protection, O My dearest Lady. But you are my fortress. You do not think it unworthy of you to come to the help of those who trust you in the combat. St. Ephrem tells me that you are "she who battles for those who trust in her." Do battle for me then and defend me for in you I put all my hope, all my trust.
Aspiration―Mary, Mary, your name is my defense.
Prayer After Each Visit
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